USF connects 16.2m people, deploys 10,400km OFC in five years

The Universal Service Fund (USF) has provided voice and broadband access to more than 16.2 million people living in 9,400-plus underserved and unserved mauzas during the last five fiscal years, while deploying over 10,400 kilometres of optic fibre cable (OFC) and connecting 947 unserved areas.

According to a written reply submitted by Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja to the National Assembly, USF projects have significantly expanded digital connectivity in rural and remote areas where commercial deployment by telecom operators was not considered viable.

The ministry said USF interventions had enabled broadband services for the first time in several target areas and helped bridge the communication gap in unserved and underserved communities.

During FY2022-26, USF access projects provided voice and broadband data services to 16.2 million-plus people residing in more than 9,400 mauzas.

The fund also provided broadband coverage along more than 1,000 kilometres of previously unserved road segments on national highways and motorways, besides covering eight tourist destinations and around 50 kilometres of access routes.

Under its optic-fibre backhaul programme, USF deployed 10,400-plus kilometres of OFC during the last five fiscal years, connecting 947 unserved tehsil headquarters, union councils and towns.

The government said USF had been established under Section 33(A)(1) of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996, with the mandate to extend telecommunications services to unserved, underserved, rural and remote communities.

USF has implemented projects under two broad categories—access projects and backhaul projects.

Access projects have evolved from providing voice and basic data services through 2G networks in unserved mauzas to high-speed broadband services through 3G and 4G networks. The programme has also been extended to unserved road segments and tourist locations.

Since inception, USF has provided voice and broadband data services to more than 38.4 million people across 22,100-plus mauzas, according to the ministry.

It has also provided broadband coverage to more than 2,500 kilometres of unserved road segments on national highways and motorways, along with eight tourist destinations and approximately 50 kilometres of access routes.

Under the OFC programme, USF has deployed more than 18,300 kilometres of optic fibre since inception and connected 1,089 unserved tehsil headquarters, union councils and towns.

The ministry said the OFC projects had evolved from connecting unserved tehsil headquarters and towns to extending connectivity to union councils and other areas with access-network infrastructure, thereby expanding the overall fibre footprint in unserved and underserved regions.

According to the government, improved connectivity in remote areas was generating socio-economic benefits by expanding access to education, healthcare, emergency services, financial inclusion, e-governance and economic opportunities.

The ministry maintained that USF projects had produced significant improvements in connectivity, particularly in areas where telecom operators had little commercial incentive to deploy infrastructure.

It said USF would continue identifying and serving unserved and underserved areas across the country through broadband access and fibre-optic infrastructure projects.

Also Read: Telecom Companies Contribute Rs18.28 Billion to USF and R&D Funds in FY2025-26